Correlation between serum estradiol/progesterone ratio and survival length in invasive squamous cell cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND

There is epidemiological and laboratory evidence for an association between invasive squamous cell cervical cancer and female sex steroid hormones, such as oral contraceptives.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Premenopausal (n = 72) and postmenopausal (n=118) women with invasive squamous epithelial cervical cancer were included in this study. Serum estradiol and progesterone and DNA S-phase fraction as a measure of proliferative activity were analysed, in 51 pre-, and 77 postmenopausal women, among whom 13 and 43, respectively, died from disease.

RESULTS

There was a significant positive correlation between a low serum estradiol/progesterone ratio and short survival in those premenopausal women who eventually died from cancer (p=0.02). Clinical stage was similar when the estradiol/progesterone ratio was dichotomized. There was no association between estradiol/progesterone ratio and survival-months in postmenopausal women. In both pre- and postmenopausal women deceased from cervical cancer, a S-phase fraction at or above 12% was correlated with reduced survival-months (p=0.03).

CONCLUSION

These results, if confirmed, contribute to bridging the gap between previous epidemiological and laboratory findings of an association between female sex steroid hormones and squamous cell cervical cancer.